The Legend of Spyro: World of the Fallen
by My Little Harlequin
Summary: When Spyro beats Cynder and she returns to her true form, they escape from Convexity back to the Dragon Kingdom, but find it to be another land altogether! Can they rid it of evil, battle their deadly foes and fall in love along the way? Cynder/Spyro.....
1. Prologue

Prologue:

"No mercy this time!" Cynder hissed as she spread her huge scarlet wings and moved in for the kill.

"BRING IT!!!" Spyro yelled as he charged forwards.

Spyro rose in the air and did a twist that ought to have snapped the evil dragon's neck, but she just let out a small sigh of glancing pain. Her supple black body writhed and twisted, but she could not escape Spyro's devastating blows.

With a scream, Cynder raised her wings and took to the air, spraying deathly blasts of fire as she glided on the imaginary winds of Convexity. Spyro, fearing the fire fury, ran and hid behind one of the many Spirit Gems scattering the lands.

With a small "HA!", Cynder landed once more, and Spyro ran in for the kill. He jumped into the air and gave Cynder's neck a shattering Tail Whip. With a groan, Cynder arose, her hind legs just touching the ground, and the whole world was overcome in a sea of flame. Cynder was indestructible.

Spyro staggered, dazed by the blast of pure power from Cynder. But the one thing undamaged was his memory. He HAD TO FIGHT!

Almost unconsciously, he heard Ignitus' wise voice in his head. _It's time to unleash the true dragon within you!_

Spyro gave a great heave, emerging from his woozy encapturement, and spat a ball of pure power at Cynder. The ball, he noticed with wonder, was a dazzling, violet tinged pink.

But no time to think at that moment. Spyro summoned the last of his strength from his purple, battered and bruised body, and emitted Pure Power Fury.

Cynder raised scream after agonised scream as she was launched into the air by the swirling, rock hard power. The power seemed to form demons and spirits as it beat at her long black body. Cynder cried out one last time, but it was a quiet, pathetic whimper instead of her earsplitting screams. She collapsed to the rocky ground and....

With a sigh, shrank! Her body grew smaller and smaller until she was no bigger than Spyro himself. With a sigh, her brilliant blue eyes closed, and her little face was peaceful. Her scarlet wings flapped feebly, then lay still.

"Ignitus was right! She _is_ just like me!"

Suddenly, with a large ripping noise, Convexity was bearing a huge portal. Everything was being pulled towards it by an unstoppable force, including the unconscious little Cynder.

Sparx panicked. "Dude, we gotta get outta here NOW!!!!"

Spyro was torn. Save Cynder, or escape? "I...I can't leave her behind! I've got to save her!"

"WHAT!!!? Save the beast that's been trying _to kill us? _Sparx yelled.

Spyro was getting angry. "That wasn't her fault! She was being used by the Dark Master!

Spyro looked around as he said this. Cynder's limp black body was being dragged up the stone steps towards the portal.

Spyro steeled himself, then turned and ran. Towards the portal. He grabbed for Cynder's tail..and missed! He was dragged into the portal!

Blinded by swirling mist, Spyro seized blindly and found himself holding Cynder's tail. With a tremendous effort from his poor wings, he hurled himself ad Cynder back out of the Dark Masters encapsulating prison, and back to Convexity.

"NOW WE CAN GO!" He roared at Sparx.

Somewhere behind him, Sparx replied, "I'm right behind ya, buddy!"

They flew into the other portal, escaping Convexity and returning to the Dragon Kingdom...or so they thought...


	2. Cynder's Diagnosis

Spyro, Cynder and Sparx hit the ground hard. As Spyro lay still, breathing, he realised that what they were laying on was not soft green grass, but a black ground. He eased himself to his feet, his bones groaning, protesting. They weren't the only things groaning. Sparx was too.

"Dude, when I say "CATCH ME" I really mean, catch me!"

"Sparx, shut up. I'm trying to see where we are!"

Spyro was rather puzzled about this strange, burnt land. "What the hell is going on here?"

A small whimper of pain came from behind them. Cynder opened her sapphire eyes, and looked atround in puzzlement. "Where am I? Who am I? Who are you? What are we-"

She suddenly stopped speaking, and got to her feet. Her little black body bore many cuts from the battle with Spyro. She smiled shyly.

"It was foretold that we would meet again, Purple Dragon."

Spyro smiled back, amused. "Um, the name's Spyro, not Purple Dragon or whatever. Also, if you're not still dizzy from our ride through time and space, do you have any idea where we are?"

Cynder's little face became puzzled again. "What are you talking about, Spyro?" Then, when she looked behind her at the fast-disappearing portal, her facial expression changed to fury.

"YOU FOOL!" She yelled. "Don't you know an anomaly when you see one?"

Then she hung her head. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm still all mixed up. I can't even remember what happened back there and-"

"I'll make it simple for ya then!" Spark cut in, flying up. "Spyro here totally kicked your booty!"

Cynder smiled dryly at the dragonfly. "Nice to meet you too, Sparx."

Sparx frowned and flew to Spyro's side. "So, buddy, got a clue?"

"No, Sparx. This place is weird. I-

"I know where we are." Cynder said. She faced Spyro with an ominous look in her electric blue eye. "We're in the World of the Fallen....

"So what is the World of the Fallen? Tell me everything about it and anomalies!" Spyro asked, curious. He was convinced he might learn something more about his past.

Cynder bit her dragon lip. "Well, I don't actually know that much about it, but I'll tell you what I do know...There is someone called a Chronicler, who lives neither on Earth nor in Space, who records everything ever done in history. And a Chronicler almost always has a Seeker. A Seeker is someone who comes through anomalies to another land, and gathers evidence and information of things that have happened. It is a never-ending job, for both Chronicler and Seeker. There are endless things to be discovered about the world. But I think that this land is an untapped source of history...and, I think....that this is where I battled the guardians."

Spyro was excited and awed. Perhaps he would finally learn everything. "So...it is called the World of the Fallen because so many people fell to death here?"

"Yes. And it is overrun by enemies. I forgot to mention something. There is not just a Chronicler and a Seeker. There is a Cleanser. A Cleanser is someone who rids the land of enemies and of evil, and records any information they might have given him as they battled to give to the Chronicler."

"Hey, that's cool!" Sparx chimed in. "Maybe this cleanser dude can come and get us out of here!"

Cynder smiled grimly. "I'm afraid it's not that easy Sparx! Once an anomaly has been opened and someone has gone through, it will not reopen until that land has been rid of evil, and information collected. And as this is an untapped land..." She trailed off, looking horrified at what she had realised.

"What? WHAT?!" Spyro shouted. This information was making his head spin.

"I believe..." Cynder continued, gazing at Spyro with unconcealed terror, "That we are acting as Cleansers..."....


	3. Ignitus

"What??!!!" Sparx exclaimed angrily. "I'm not gonna be a Cleaner or whatever! Saving you was meant to be the_ last_ heroic deed we set out to do!"

"We?" Cynder replied, her low voice icy. "I believe that Spyro was the only one of you to do anything towards saving me."

"Yeah? Well...whatever." Sparx realised that Cynder had got him good.

"Stop it, you two." Spyro murmured. "Something's ahead."

Spyro tensed himself, planting his feet firmly on the black ground, and spreading his pale red wings. Behind him, Cynder bared her teeth. They were pure white, and glistening with poison.

Light footsteps came around the corner, a flap of wings, a hiss of breath between clenched teeth. And out stepped...

Ignitus! A wise old dragon with ruby red scales, huge wings and all the cleverness of the world. He was also Spyro's favourite of the Guardians, but he did love Terrador as well.

"Ignitus!" Spyro yelled joyfully, rushing forward to meet him.

"SPYRO STOP!" Cynder shouted. Spyro turned to her. "Didn't you hear what I said? No one can get in here once the anomaly's been opened! That's not Ignitus!"

"What are you talking about?" 'Ignitus' said in puzzlement.

"Nothing, Ignitus." Spyro said, glaring at Cynder, who glared right back. "Cynder's just being stupid, as usual."

"I'm stupid, am I?" Cynder shouted. "I'll show you who's the stupid one!"

And she ran towards Ignitus with a feral snarl erupting from her lips, leaped high into the air, and bit Ignitus on his ear. Spyro gazed with wide purple eyes.

"Cynder, STOP RIGHT NOW!"

And Ignitus lay twitching on the ground, pain-filled groans emanating from, not his lips, but every pore in his red-scaled body.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Spyro howled. Sparx wiped away a tear.

"I hate you!" He yelled at Cynder, who was crouched over the dying Ignitus. "I wish I'd never saved you from Convexity!"

Cynder turned back to him, hurt in her dazzling blue eyes. "I told you, Spyro." She said sadly. "It's not Ignitus."

And Ignitus' body began to shake uncontrollably. Spyro gave a cry of horror and disgust as the flesh peeled in neat strips from the body, revealing a shapeless mass that was pearl gray and wobbling.

"Am I the only one feeling sick here?" Sparx asked weakly, then retched noisily.

With a final groan, the wobbling mass disintegrated with a hiss of steam.

"What in the 12 planets of Convexity was that?!"

"A shape-shifter." Cynder murmured matter-of-factly. "I've only ever heard of them, but it is fast becoming apparent that there are more of them in this cursed land..."


	4. Violence, Fear and Agression

....Spyro was dead on his feet. For a week, he, Cynder and Sparx had been walking day and night across this black, barren land, fighting so many foes that it had now become routine to win. But Spyro knew he couldn't get cocky. It was never easy. And he was too tired to get cocky, anyway.

"Please, Cynder," he begged, "Can we at least rest for an hour? I feel like I'm a walking spirit."

Cynder shot him a baleful glare, as Spyro had known she would, and said the words he was expecting. "Do you _want_ the Dark Master's foes to catch up to us?"

Sparx flew up behind them, their only light in the ever expanding darkness. "I think we've defeated so many of his forces that there can't be any left to catch up to!"

"Fine." Cynder snapped. "You waste time sleeping, and I'll just worry about how we will get out of here, shall I?"

"Yeah, thanks!" Sparx said cheekily. Cynder tossed her head angrily and stormed off...

..................................................................................................................................................................

"_Sparx. Sparx, I can't sleep!_" Spyro whispered in the darkness. It had to be about the middle of the night, and Spyro had awoken, haunted by dreams of three dragons, one of them calling himself a Chronicler. It had been so _real._ He was not sure if he was confusing dreams with reality.

"What's up, buddy?" Sparx said sleepily, and then yawned. He was so peaceful. Spyro didn't have the heart to disturb him after their long journey.

"Nothing. I just need some fresh air, that's all. Go back to sleep, Sparx."

"But....sleep....mummy..."

As soon as Spyro was sure Sparx was asleep, he crept outside. He didn't know where he was going, but he headed towards a small patch of light in the darkness. It was a fire. _Cynder_, Spyro thought ruefully.

"Hey."

He sat down beside her. Cynder was small, hunched over, and huddled next to the flames. She never looked more vulnerable and sad.

"What's wrong, Cynder?"

Cynder looked up, tears sparkling in her blue eyes, glistening in the fire. "It's stupid. You wouldn't understand."

She started to get up, and then stopped at the sound of Spyro's quiet voice. "Then help me to."

Cynder sighed and sat back down, curling into a black ball in the darkness.

"It's just...I miss home. The way it used to be."

Spyro was incredulous. _She misses the Dark Master?_ "You're right. I don't understand."

"And how could you?" Cynder said bitterly. "It's the only home I've ever known, Spyro! There's no way you could understand. Look at you!"

Spyro was offended. "What about me?"

"Just...you! You've grown up with a loving family, one that treats you kindly and protects you when there's trouble. Then look at me. My family was a group of apes, and a Master so bad that forced me to fight when there was danger, to fend for myself, even to _KILL YOU_! And yet it's the kind of company I crave after so many years of unhappiness. Don't you see? With you around, I don't feel like I belong."

"That's not fair, Cynder." Spyro said evenly. "I did grow up with a loving family, but it would not be the family I could choose if I were able to. I would have chosen the company of my own parents rather than dragonflies. And if me being nice to you makes you feel bad, how would you like it if I treated you like dirt? You'd hate me!"

Cynder thought about this for a while, keeping her eyes on the flames of the dying fire. Finally, she spoke.

"I'm sorry, Spyro. I know you're doing everything you can to get out of here, and I'm sorry if I insulted you just now...But I can't help feeling homesick when I've been brought up this way in a world of violence, fear and aggression."

Spyro touched her paw lightly. He had never felt more affection for the little black dragon than now. He supposed it was only right to miss your home and the people you grew up with, even if they were cruel. And to be perturbed by a different kind of behaviour was something he knew all too well.

"It doesn't always have to be anger and fear, Cynder. And after a while...hopefully...this will feel like home, too."

Cynder looked up as he wrapped a wing around her, gratitude shining in her blue eyes.

"I've been so wrong about you, Spyro. I never thought you'd understand me and...I apologise."

Spyro made no answer for a long time. Cynder looked at him and realised he was asleep. She looked down at him for what seemed like ages, then leaned down and touched his forehead with hers.

"_Goodnight, Spyro."_ She whispered, then she too sank into the land of dreams...


	5. Aptifor

_Spyro was flying over the 12 planets of Convexity once more. As a rock formation sped past him with impossible velocity, he thought about Cynder, and the way she'd looked at him gratefully out of her sapphire blue eyes, and Spyro felt apprehensive. _

_He now knew that he had feelings for her, and didn't know what to do about it. She was kind of nice, but there was a darkness in her too. He could see it lurking behind her eyes, especially last night in the fire. And it scared him. _

_After all, who was to say that she wouldn't turn on him the second they got out of this anomaly anyway? Maybe being so far from her home was what was keeping her little and sane. _

_Spyro's brain ached with all the thinking and assuming. He wanted to close his eyes and fall asleep, but something in his subconscious told him that he already was asleep. _

_Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. He was going too fast! He had never been good at flying and now he was going to pay for it!_

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH" Spyro screamed as he sped like a torpedo towards the ground. And then he landed._

_Spyro slid twenty feet on the ground, his small purple body still, and closed his eyes..._

_.................................................................................................................................................................._

"_Spyro? Spyro? Can you hear me, young Dragon?" a low, hoarse voice said._

_Spyro was baffled. How did Cynder get to Convexity so fast? And how did her voice get so deep? Then he remembered that he was dreaming. And he looked up into the face of one of the largest dragons he had ever seen in his life._

_The dragon was ancient, his wrinkling face and curling scales reflecting that to the utmost. His scale colour was a dull, faded shade that may once have been a brilliant white, like polished ivory, but now was a simple, flat grey. Spyro gazed into the old dragons eyes. They were milky white, and even though Spyro knew the old dragon was blind, he sensed that these eyes had seen too much._

"_Um, not meaning to be rude or anything, but who in Convexity, literally, are you?_

"_Spyro. It was foretold that we would meet again." Was the old dragons only answer._

_Spyro was feeling rather frustrated. "Why does everyone say that? Even Cynder said that when she recognised me for the first time!"_

_The old dragon sighed. "Ah, Cynder. Such a shame, one so beautiful....But of course, I have not taken the liberty of introducing myself. I am Aptifor, but most know me as the Chronicler."_

"_So you're the Chronicler, huh?" Spyro asked sceptically. In truth he wasn't really surprised, this dragon looked as if he'd been around long enough to chronicle the Earth. "Maybe you're the one who can help us. We're stuck in an-"_

"_I know of your predicament." Aptifor reminded Spyro gently. "And I want you to know that I'll do everything I can to help you, Cynder and Sparx on your way out of the anomaly."_

"_Good." Spyro sighed, relieved. "Does that mean you'll get us out?"_

_The old dragon gave a noise that was probably a laugh but sounded more like a cough. "I'm sure Cynder has already told you about what happens when one goes through an anomaly."_

"_Well, yes." Spyro admitted, feeling rather embarrassed. "But I've been hoping she was wrong, that we could find a way after all."_

_Aptifor shook his ancient head. "No, Spyro. I'm afraid Cynder is right. But I will watch over you from here, and give you advice when you need it most. And when your hour of need is nigh, I shall come forth."_

_Why do all the old ones not speak English? Spyro thought. Nigh indeed._

"_But...if you don't mind me saying so, Aptifor, how can you watch over us...when you can't see?"_

_Aptifor gave his coughing laugh again, and smiled at Spyro. "Not all of us need our eyes to see, Spyro." He remarked, gazing right at the spot Spyro was standing. Spyro was feeling a bit creeped._

"_Please give my love to Cynder." The old dragon continued. "And take this." _

_Aptifor walked over to a silver pool and reached inside. When his paw resurfaced, he was holding a scale. It was blinding white. _

"_A scale of my own, soaked in the pool of guidance." He announced grandly."When ever you have need of me, take hold of it and think of me, and you will be transported here."_

_He started to walk away. _

"_Wait!" Spyro called after him. "How can I be transported here if I'm dreaming?"_

_Aptifor turned back to face Spyro, and he grinned. In that moment, he looked a hundred years younger._

"_Who ever said this was a dream?"_

_And Convexity whirled from sight...._


	6. Well of Souls

......................................"What in Convexity happened, Spyro?!" Cynder hissed furiously.

"I...I don't know!" Spyro said helplessly. "I just remember a voice, a dragon, and I was in a strange place-"

Cynder snorted. "Oh, you were in a strange place all right...YOUR MIND. I don't understand you, Spyro. One minute you act like you..."

Spyro tuned out of Cynder's rant, the helplessness washing over him again. He had seen the fear behind her anger, the worry she was trying to conceal beneath harsh words.

His heart ached. He loved her...but he didn't like her. He made an effort to listen to her.

..."and then you just collapse on the ground, leaving me to believe you're dead!...."

"I was worried about you," she added, her eyes softening.

Spyro tried to dredge the dream from his memory, remember_ something_ about it.

"_A scale of my own, soaked in the pool of guidance." He announced grandly."When ever you have need of me, take hold of it and think of me, and you will be transported here."_

"The scale!" Spyro shouted. Cynder jumped, startled by his voice. "Where is Aptifor's scale?"

Cynder gazed at him out of puzzled blue eyes. "You had it, Spyro. I practically had to bite tour paw off to get it away from you and—wait a second. Did you say Aptifor?"

Spyro looked at her, equally puzzled. "Yes. Aptifor. Why?"

Cynder's eyes filled with pain and tears. "Aptifor....." She moaned.

Spyro got annoyed. "This is too weird. When I was dreaming, Aptifor just randomly said, _"Ah, Cynder. Such a shame, one so beautiful.... _and now you're moaning about him as if you were once in love with him!"

Cynder flushed, if you could tell under her dark skin. "That was almost the case, Spyro...You see, when I was under the Dark Master's hand, I wanted to escape. Aptifor also wanted to escape-

"Wait a minute. Aptifor was in Convexity?"

Cynder shook her little head. "No. A place called...," she shivered. "the Well of Souls."

Spyro felt the urge to shiver too. What a horrible name. Well of Souls. It was worse than BoyZitBig.

"But anyway," Cynder continued, "Aptifor said he would try and help me escape. We formulated a plan. But as we were trying to escape, Gaul saw us. And Aptifor was killed." A tear slipped down her cheek.

Spyro was feeling very confused. "But if Aptifor was killed, how come he's alive in Convexity?"

Cynder thought that fact over, chewing on her bottom lip. "There's only one possibility." She said at last. "Aptifor must be the Chronicler. That's the only way he would still be living. He must be very old."

"Yes." Spyro agreed. "He looked ancient."

"Oh...I wish I had been the one to be taken." Cynder breathed sadly. "To see Aptifor again...would be something unforgettable. I have...missed him. A lot."

Spyro was feeling sorry for his friend, but the emotion was also something stronger. _The only way to get it out of my system is to do something about it, _Spyro reasoned with himself. And he knew exactly what to do.

"Cynder...I believe...you will be seeing your friend very shortly."

"How, Spyro?" Cynder said dully, he head hanging. "He chose you...not me."

"Yes..." Spyro replied, grinning, his trump card in place, "but i have a scale of his from the pool of guidance."

Cynder looked up, her face radiant, her blue eyes dancing happily. "Will you take me, Spyro?"

"It would be my pleasure, Cynder." Spyro replied gallantly, wondering if he was laying it on a bit too thick.

He took hold of the scale, and prayed, _Please, let this work, for Cynder's sake...and mine._

And the ground disappeared from under their feet...


	7. In Convexity Once Again

_Cynder and Spyro were flying together, past the rocky formations filling the dark night of Convexity. A beacon of light shone out of the darkness, bringing them closer, giving them hope._

_As they landed on the rocky ground, Cynder gracefully, Spyro not so gracefully, they spied Aptifor walking slowly towards them._

"_Ah, Spyro. You should not have come."_

_Spyro was puzzled. Hadn't Aptifor told him he could come back? "But...Aptifor, I brought Cynder,"_

_The ancient dragon sighed. "Yes Spyro, and Cynder, it is lovely to see you, too, but I told you to use the scale only when you have real need of me. It will never work again now. You should have used it when in danger or battle, not for the heart's childish desires!"_

_Spyro was stung by that. Since when was he childish? "Well, I'm here anyway." He sulked._

_Aptifor smiled slightly. "Well, I can forgive you _this_ time, because it appears you do have need of me. I have been watching you from my pools of Seeing, and you have reached a Dead End."_

_Cynder nodded sadly. "That's what I thought, too, Aptifor. That's why I was worried Spyro had collapsed."_

_Spyro did NOT like being talked about as if he weren't there and he was in a bad mood anyway. _

"_Well, what are we going to do, then?" He grumbled. "Are you going to be useful, or not?"_

_Aptifor just smiled gently, as if Spyro's surliness was funny somehow. "Patience, young dragon. I have decided I will help you...but on one condition. You will not expect me to give you another of the scales. I'm afraid...I cannot trust you with it."_

"_Fine." Spyro snapped. "Just get us out of this cursed land and I'll never take one of your scales again."_

_Aptifor cleared his throat, ad Spyro continued to grumble under his breath. Aptifor spoke over him. _

"_I will guide you to the Mountain of Malefor."_

_Cynder turned white under her dark skin. "No, Aptifor. I won't go. I CAN'T face my Master."_

"_But you must, Cynder." Aptifor said, looking down on her kindly. "It is the only way to escape."_

"_Yes, Cynder!" Spyro cried, forgetting about his bad mood. "Don't you want to be free? To go back and live with the other Guardians?"_

_Cynder looked at Spyro, well, stared was more like it. Something in his face made her strong enough. _

"_OK. I'll go!"_

"_Yes!" Spyro hissed triumphantly._

_The old dragon smiled benignly with his blind, milky eyes. "Beware, young dragon. The journey will not be smooth. Farewell."_

"_Wait!" Spyro yelled, but the ground disappeared. He grabbed Cynder, curling her under one red wing, as they fell towards the Mountain of Malefor..._


	8. Mountain of Malefor

Spyro could not stop himself from screaming as the Mountain grew ever closer in his line of vision. He was not screaming because it was scary, or because it was huge, but for the fact that the winds around the Mountain swirled and twisted, buffeting Cynder, Spyro, and Sparx, who had magically appeared as soon as they left Convexity.

Spyro felt as though he was caught in the middle of a raging hurricane. The wind never let up, but somehow he kept going.

"SPYRO!" Cynder screamed above the roar of the winds.

"WHAT?"

'BRACE YOURSELF; YOU'LL LAND RIGHT THAT WAY!"

"THANKYOU!" Spyro screeched as they dropped towards a plateau at the sky high entrance to the Mountain of Malefor.

Somehow, Spyro managed to get himself ready, bracing his legs so he landed steadily on all fours. He turned to Cynder and grinned.

"Thanks for the tip. That's something I definitely have to remember."

But Cynder was too scared to smile back. She was of a snowy pallor under her radiant dark skin, and her electric blue eyes were huge with fear.

Spyro turned to her again in concern.

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_**A/N: AAAND CUT! Sorry, I know I shouldn't have done that in the middle of the story, but I just wanted to let you know that from here to the end of Spyro and Cynder's battle with Malefor, it will pretty much be fact for the whole time, except that they are still little dragons when they battle Malefor, not teenagers, coz I don't like them when they are in their teens. So for those who think that the Spyro game is boring (though I can't imagine why you would read this story if you do think Spyro's boring) then don't read this chapter. But anyway, on with it!**_

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Spyro turned to her again in concern.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked, his violet eyes gentle and caring.

Cynder looked at him out of those beautiful eyes. There were terrified tears welling in them. "I'm scared."

Spyro smiled softly. "Just stay close to me."

They stepped into the mountain...

Cynder gasped softly as she recognised her old Master sitting before them.

Malefor was huge. A deep purple in colour, with huge, curved horns which would not have looked out of place on the head of the Devil There were deadly spikes on the sides of his muscled shoulders, and on the end of his tail. His colossal purple wings flapped gently, looking oddly see-through in the dark.

He stared at them triumphantly, appraising Spyro. Then he spoke, his deep voice echoing all over the room in the Mountain.

"At long last, my guests have arrived. Please, come in." He smirked. "Such determination to get here...it seems we share other qualities besides that of our colour."

Spyro, despite his fear, was offended by the comment. "No!" He growled. "I am NOTHING like you."

Malefor smiled evilly. "Do you think so? Hmm...we'll get to that."

Cynder turned to look at Spyro. She was regaining some of her colour. "Don't listen to him, Spyro!" She whispered pleadingly. "Don't listen to anything he says!"

Meanwhile, Malefor was studying Spyro thoughtfully again. "You look so weary. Allow me to make you more comfortable!"

A glowing green, snake-like chain wrapped around Spyro's neck, shimmered, and disappeared. Spyro knew he was bound.

"There...that's better, isn't it? It's the least I could do for you, Cynder. After all, you've done so much for me!"

"You used her!" Spyro shouted angrily. Malefor just smiled.

"I used her. She used you. What does it matter, really?"

Spyro looked at Cynder, confusion in his indigo eyes. "What does he mean?"

Malefor feigned a look of surprise. "What?! He doesn't know?" He laughed loudly, scornfully, looking at Cynder. "Go on, tell him! You mustn't leave him in the dark!"

Spyro couldn't take his eyes off Cynder's horrified face. "Tell me what?"

But it was Malefor who answered, of course. "How she lured you to the Well of Souls. How she tricked you into freeing me!"

Cynder took a deep breath, seemed to gather her courage. "You're lying!" She shouted.

Malefor gazed at her carefully. "Hmm..I find it peculiar how you've chosen to remember things."

He whipped around to face Spyro again. "I assure you, it was you who freed me, Spyro, and YOU who brought me back...and we have Cynder to thank for that!"

He laughed a mirthless laugh. Cynder stared at Malefor, rage contorting her pretty features.

Spyro, however, was convinced. "Cynder? Is it true?" He asked, angry.

"NO!" Cynder insisted...but then, she looked unsure. "I don't know. I don't know anymore." She hung her head.

Malefor grinned gleefully. "Oh, I think you do. But perhaps you need a little nudge!"

Suddenly, his eyes glowed a bright, blinding green. Cynder rose in the air, a sheet of darkness swirling around her, then slammed to the ground, her eyes open and blinding white, encapsulated by the dark mist that held her prisoner.

"CYNDER! NO!" Spyro yelled. He didn't even know why he was so upset that she was evil once more.

_Better to have one opponent than two_! He reasoned.

Malefor crouched low, watching Cynder stalk towards Spyro, her mouth twisting into a cruel sneer. Malefor laughed again.

"Ignitus should have warned you. You are alone here, young dragon. You have always been alone. Still, here you are, trying SO desperately to save this miserable world, REFUSING to accept the _true_ role of the Purple Dragon.

Cynder's tail struck Spyro hard across the chest; he cried out n pain as he flew across the room and smashed into the wall of the Mountain. Small rocks rained down on him as Malefor continued to preach his beliefs to Spyro's unwilling ears.

"I'm sure you've been told that I was the first of our kind, but I assure you...there have been many.

It has been the duty of our predecessors to resurrect the Destroyer of the Golems of the Deep, and bring about the Great Cleansing!" Malefor lifted his head proudly. "THIS is the true nature of our kind. Your destiny is to_ destroy _the world."

"NO! I don't believe that!" Spyro yelled, clenching his paws.

Malefor stood over him, tall, proud...deadly. "Of course you don't. But you have fulfilled your destiny nonetheless. In my time, I was stopped...prevented from completing my quest. "

"Bt you," he continued, looking at Spyro with something like a little admiration. "you have carried the flame, be it through your own will or not. And soon, the world will be destroyed, you along with it!"

"No." Spyro whispered. He was too weak to contradict Malefor any further. He didn't even respond as Cynder sliced him across the face with her tail.

"FIGHT BACK!" She yelled, as Malefor laughed evilly in the background behind them. She struck Spyro across the wings, leaving small, sharp cuts where the sharp edge of her tail knifed through the thin membrane.

"FIGHT BACK!" She screamed. "WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT BACK?!"

Spyro looked up at the beautiful, dark dragoness wearily. "Because you've left me nothing to fight for." He stated sadly.

And with a small sigh, the dark mist around Cynder shimmered and faded. Cynder stepped out and smiled shyly at Spyro. "There's always something."

Malefor groaned. "Argh! So be it! You've made your choice and so you shall suffer the same fate!"

The glowing chain wrapped around Cynder's neck as well, and with a spark of electricity, it crackled into life.

"PREPARE TO DIE!" Malefor screamed, rearing up on his powerful hind legs.

As Spyro and Cynder burst out of the top of the Mountain and faced Malefor, high in the star spangled sky, they prepared for the fight of their lives...


	9. I love you

Spyro and Cynder shot as though from guns, speeding towards Malefor in the red, blood-tinged sky, where he waited for them.

"You with me?" Spyro shouted, glancing over at Cynder, flying beside him, a hard look on her perfect face.

She turned her face towards his, smiled ironically. "I'm with you."

"THEN LET'S END THIS!" Spyro yelled, trying to rally his formidable strength.

Spyro and Cynder swarmed swiftly around Malefor, too fast for the eye to see. Spyro struck blindly, knowing he was on target only when he heard Malefor's roar of pain.

Cynder let loose with a torrent of emerald fire from her mouth, watching with almost indecent satisfaction on her face as some of Malefor's scales burned away, as though touched by acid.

Malefor released a volley of purple fireballs from his mouth, his evil green eyes focused only on Cynder.

"NO!" Spyro yelled, about to glide on in front of her and battle Malefor himself, but Cynder screamed,

"Spyro, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

And she released her fury. The electric, almost fluoro green colour swirled in the air, then with enormous speed, the power slammed into Malefor.

"ARGH!" Malefor screamed as he fell a short way down, his huge wings flapping violently.

With a cry, Cynder got entangled in one of his wings. Spyro followed them down.

And then he saw the Mountain.

As lightning crackled and sparked in the sky, setting it alight, Spyro and Cynder looked down with dread. The Mountain of Malefor was unrecognisable.

Sheathed in flame by the burning heat of the exposed core of the Earth, the Mountain burned like the flames of Hell. Without warning, Malefor was behind them, but for once, he wasn't intent upon fighting them. He gazed triumphantly down at his burning namesake.

"It has begun!" He announced.

The Mountain launched deathly fireballs and burned furiously. The sound of burning drowned out everything, except their voices.

"Oh no! We're too late!" Spyro cried in despair. Malefor smiled happily.

"Welcome to the end of the World."

And the Mountain that was now a volcano blasted through the Earth's atmosphere, a beacon of harsh red light, signalling to Outer Space.

As the hole got larger, the plateau Spyro lay on was abruptly falling through the world. Cynder flew over to join him, tears streaming down her cheeks, flooding her electric eyes.

"We tried, Spyro...we tried." She whispered.

Spyro looked up. Cynder opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by an angry roar. Malefor landed in front of them once more.

Cynder glanced at Spyro warily. "Still fighting?"

Spyro didn't answer. He swept towards Malefor, blasting the evil dragon with fire. He performed the same Tail Whip he had to Cynder all that time ago, but Malefor didn't even flinch.

With a casual flick of his long tail, he knocked Spyro out of the air. Hurt and winded, Spyro lay still on the ground.

"You won't hurt me or my friends any more, Malefor!" A sweet voice cried angrily behind him.

Cynder sprinted forwards on her powerful legs, rose into the air, and slammed into Malefor over and over again with her head, her tail, her wings, using the many different kinds of breath power she had to force him back until he was standing on the edge of the falling plateau.

Cynder moved to charge him, but Malefor was ready.

"Watch out!" Spyro cried as Malefor swept his paw towards Cynder in a deathly Paw Swipe. Cynder just managed to evade it. Spyro stood up, and charged back into the assault.

And they all fell over the edge, spiralling through space. Cynder called to Spyro. "Is it over?"

"Not yet!" Spyro shouted, as Malefor flapped to the ground a few feet away.

"You cannot defeat me! _I am eternal!" _Malefor bragged. Spyro was sick of his gloating. He launched a stream of violet tinged electric energy towards Malefor, trapping him in an electric cage. Cynder followed suit.

But Malefor was a quick learner too. He matched their power with a much stronger Electric Stream of his own. Spyro and Cynder could feel their power being forced back into them. Spyro shook his head, and managed to speak through the electricity flowing from his tongue.

"Just...Hang...On!"

And with the combination of both Cynder and Spyro's power, Malefor's power was defeated. He slumped to the ground, sliding a little further away.

Spyro' heart leaped, but then sank again deeper into his stomach when Malefor leaped back up, ancient, untamed fury in his evil eyes. And then his eyes changed. His whole face changed as he gazed at the formidable sight above him.

Five violet coloured dragon spirits surrounded Malefor, no more substance than ghosts, more like a seeping mist. Malefor looked around wildly.

"What is this?"

His question was never answered. The five purple ghost dragons sped towards him and, seizing him by his limbs, began pulling him into the centre of the Earth.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Malefor's cry was drowned in the ancient crust of the Earth as he disappeared beneath it. The whole world glowed with a violet light, and it seemed as though the Five Purple Dragons were paying tribute to Spyro.

But then the atmosphere started to crack, the world being pulled to pieces before them, as if a pair of invisible hands cracking the Earth like an egg shell.

Spyro and Cynder flapped down to land on a spare bit of land that was beginning to crack too.

Cynder looked at Spyro in sorrow. She was crying again, fat tears gushing miserably down her cheeks.

"Spyro, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Spyro looked at the little dragon kindly. They had been through so much together, her and him.

"Don't be. It's over now."

Cynder looked around them, at the Earth being pulled apart, at the fire blazing relentlessly around them, and looking at Spyro himself.

"So this is it?"

Spyro closed his eyes, his heart aching with pain that had not been so strong since he found out he was adopted. He heard Ignitus' voice in his head, remembering something he had once lectured Spyro about...

_Spyro, when a dragon dies, he does not truly leave this world. His spirit lives on, binding itself with nature...offering hope for the future..._

Spyro opened his eyes again, this time they were bright and strong with rejuvenated hope.

"I know what I need to do. Just get out of here, Cynder."

Cynder was angry, that he was risking his life, and that he thought he had the right to baby her.

"Spyro, no! You don't have to do ANYTHING! Let's just go!"

Spyro's tone was a little heated too. He was stressed, as you would be if the world was cracking apart.

"Where, Cynder? There'll be nothing left! The world is breaking apart." He hung his head momentarily, then looked back up and gazed into Cynder's beautiful eyes, memorising her perfect face. "But I think I can stop it...I think I'm meant to."

Cynder looked him in the eyes, and made her decision. "Then I'm with you." She said stoutly, planting her feet in the ground.

Spyro's indigo eyes widened momentarily, but he closed them and summoned all his Power for one final battle, the Epic battle, against the whole world.

Though the flames were blazing noisily and the Earth was screaming, everything was quiet at that moment.

The moment when Cynder looked at Spyro's almost peaceful form and whispered.

"I love you..."


	10. Epilogue: A New Legend

Epilogue: A New Legend

"I can't believe this." Cynder hissed, her tail slashing the air violently, her supple black body writhing in fury. "Why are they making us do this, Spyro?"

Spyro held a look of bittersweet sadness on his face. "It's something that has to be done, Cynder. Tradition."

"And if he meets someone like Mal- like _him?_ Would you stand living if you had to kill your son someday?"

Spyro stood up angrily. This made him look extremely formidable. The reason?

Because, with his violet scales, curved devil horns, and scarlet spikes sticking out of his shoulders, Spyro greatly resembled Malefor. All down to his eyes.

Because where Malefor's eyes had been a vivid, electric green, Spyro's were a soft, glowing indigo. He looked into Cynder's beautiful face lovingly, but firmly.

"He has to do it."

Cynder stood up, too, only a few centimetres shorter than Spyro, her long frame quivering with annoyance.

"Fine!" She hissed. "Let him do it! But know that I hate you, Spyro the Purple Dragon!"

Spyro smirked. "Too late. I already know."

They walked together back into the Dragon Temple. Cynder walked stiffly, clearly still thinking about their son's predicament.

"Let it go, Cyndi." Spyro sighed. "He's going, and that is the end of it, so there's no point sulking."

"Don't call me Cyndi!" Cynder spat. "You only do that when you want me to calm down!"

"Cyndi, Cyndi, Cyndi!" Spyro sang, dancing around her when she tried to swipe him with her black paw. But it worked. She was calming down.

They re-entered the Dragon Temple, Ignitus smiling at them patiently.

"Is it decided?" Volteer asked excitedly.

Spyro looked at Cynder. She nodded slightly, tears in her dazzling blue eyes.

Spyro smiled softly. "I think we're going to go with Aptifor."

Ignitus nodded wisely. "He would have been pleased."

Cynder looked up, blinking back the tears that threatened to overflow. "Tell him." She whispered to Spyro, indicating Ignitus.

"Wha...? Oh, yeah. That." Spyro grinned at the Guardians. "We have decided to bestow our son with three names...."

"For the second name...Volterra."

Volteer and Terrador winked at each other. Spyro cleared his throat and continued.

"And for his third name...Cyritus."

Ignitus smiled, and Cyril nodded pompously. Ignitus looked down at the little baby dragon emerging from behind the door.

"Aptifor Volterra Cyritus." Ignitus said grandly.

And the little purple dragon stepped into the bright lights of the world.

THE END


End file.
